


With a Filthy Tongue

by The_Malevolent_Mountain_Queen



Category: The Bright Sessions (Podcast)
Genre: But since most tbs fans like myself enjoy angst maybe I should??, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, Homicidal Ideation, I doubt I’ll be turning this into a fully fledged story but if so I know where I’m going with it, M/M, Manipulation, Other, Sexual Tension, Verbal Abuse, and it is not a happy place, edit: I am turning it into a fully fledged story and it is not in fact as promised a happy place, familial drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-08-17 13:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16517051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Malevolent_Mountain_Queen/pseuds/The_Malevolent_Mountain_Queen
Summary: Ellie wants to rekindle her connection with her favorite nephew.Don't worry, it gets much worse.





	1. Actions and Words

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of random, and not important for the story--feel free to ignore this--but the title was inspired by this hilariously edgy song I rediscovered from, like, middle school called "Sarcasm" by Get Scared.  
> YouTube autoplay brought it back to me after all these years, and if I were in Adam's shoes, this is exactly how I'd feel about Annabelle.  
> (**Be warned--if you end up getting curious and want to hear it for yourself, it actually ended up triggering me the first time I reheard it, so... that gives you the general idea of the content.**)  
> Anyway, enjoy!

On an unusually cold May evening, Ellie Whitney held her raspberry chocolate grande mocha tightly between her unwavering fingers and waited.

The bike’s rusted brakes screeched in the distance, and she couldn’t help but smile. She wanted to call out, but knew better. He would come. He knew she knew where he was.

She didn’t have to look up even once before Adam padded into view. His Doc Martens were especially difficult to not take notice of when they clunked against the sidewalk.

“Annabelle?”

“Adam!” She made sure to look him directly in the eyes, grinning in the warmest, most genuine way possible. She could practically feel him melt in front of her. “What a nice surprise! You know, I thought this road looked familiar when I--!”

“What are you doing here?”

Shock was one of her favorites to imitate. “I was just in the neighborhood and figured we hadn’t talked in a while--!”

“So you _did_ know I was coming this way.”

Shit. She’d made the mistake of underestimating intelligence of her own flesh and blood. She beamed mischievously, something she often rewarded Adam with on a bad day when he was younger. (It often meant that she was about to take him on a small road trip to escape the mundane commodities of his valiant, studious lifestyle.) “Maybe I did, but… Well, I’ve missed you! And since your parents are out of town, I figured that I may as well pay a visit. Wouldn’t want you to be lonely when you’re so close to graduating your senior year.”

“How did you know Mom and Dad were out of town? And… Caleb gives me all the company I need. Thanks.”

“Oh, Adam, are you still upset about that little spat we had two months ago? You’re so mature--I would have thought you’d be over it by now.”

“Well, we haven’t talked since, so I assumed you weren’t, either.”

“I’ve been busy. I know, I know: not an excuse. But I was given a tad of a promotion recently, and taking that offer forced me to move a little further east. It wasn’t easy to make time for me to be here, you know.”

His adorable little wall began to crumble. “I… I know. I’ve missed you, too, Annabelle.”

“See? Oh, I knew our relationship wasn’t completely shattered! You have no idea how relieved that makes me. I have a little picture of you in my new office already. It’s been so hard imagining third-grade you living in a college dorm, and I have to remind myself that you’re an adult now. Speaking of which! How’s the work life treating you?”

It was so easy to get him to sympathize with her. Pathetically easy. “Our relationship was never ‘shattered,’ Annabelle. I just… needed some time to think. And… it’s been good.” He broke eye contact repeatedly. He was clearly ashamed of himself for coming off so coldly to her. “My manager’s kind of a dick, but… I’ve been told that’s normal.”

She forced a hearty laugh. “You have no idea. Superiors are the worst. But they’re still superiors, and it’s important to show them respect wherever due.”

He nodded a bit too quickly. _Anxious already?_ “Yeah, I know.”

She gestured to an empty spot beside her. “Here, sit. Why don’t I attempt to categorize the types of superiors I’ve had for you, and you can tell me which one he belongs in.”

“‘She,’ actually.”

“Oh?” She could have sworn the documents specifically classified Maxwell B. Wilde as male.

“Annabelle, it’s been really nice--seriously--but I need to get home. I have something in the oven.”

 _I don’t think so._ “You’ve had something in the oven for eight hours? Something you put in just before leaving for school? Adam, I wasn’t born yesterday, and I’m surprised that you would try and lie to  _me_ of all people. I thought we were closer.”

“I’m s…” _Go ahead._  “I still need time to think, okay?”

She let just a drop of irritation bleed fearfully into the atmosphere. “Adam, it’s been two months, and I’m your aunt. Are you really going to do this to me?”

Checkmate. “No. I’m not. You’re right. I don’t… know what I was thinking.” He leaned his bike on his side of the bench and sat. “I’m sorry.”

She was tempted to rub it in further. The shame written all over his face. But it would have done nothing long-term. “It’s alright, Adam. I know this time of year can be very stressful for high school students, and… given you’ve been studying for your finals, I imagine distant family ought to be the last thing on your mind.”

“But I--!”

“Ah, ah, ah. Adam, It’s okay. I get it. I was young once. I understand. You don’t need to justify yourself.”

“...Okay.” He was warming up to her again. Perfect. “Thank you.”

“Oh, don’t thank me! I just want to talk. You mentioned Caleb earlier. I know you feel a bit protective of him, and my profession can create some tension among that, but I just want to put aside what we talked about the last time we did so and not open that can of worms today, alright? I came to _see_ you. Forget about my job for a while. I just want to talk as people, not as political stances. I know it can be difficult for you to see through that lense, but just this once, if never again? Won’t you give me that chance?”

“Of... course. That’s kind of what I’ve been wanting, too, if I’m perfectly honest. To just… forget about all of it for a while, and… spend time with you.”

Letting his vulnerabilities resurface was a breath of fresh air for her. “I’m so glad we feel the same way! So, what I was going to ask about Caleb was… How are you two doing? As a couple. Are you two… alright? I don’t mean to pry, and I understand if that’s too personal for you to answer, but I know he’s a big part of your life, and I’ve had my fair share of relationships in the past.”

“Well…” He was clearly debating about whether or not to trust her with his information. “We’ve been good. Both stressed out of our minds, though, especially me, according to him, which isn’t the most healthy for his…”  

His ability. Of course. There hadn’t been many studies on empaths in their teen years during their experiences in such a heated environment with so many hormones flying one way to another. Excellent.

“Um…”

“I understand, Adam. We don’t need to go further with that aspect of Caleb. But what I meant with my original question was that I wanted to know how you feel about him currently. Has the whole honeymoon stage passed yet?”

Adam giggled. She’d forgotten how much she missed that sound. “Oh, yeah. But we’re making it work. Even after… everything that’s happened in our lives, I think we’re still pretty solid. In fact, well, like, not really to brag or anything, but… I think we’re stronger than ever.”

“That’s amazing to hear, Adam. I’m so glad you have such a positive influence in your life.”

“According to him, I’ve been the positive one. Which is a… strange thing to hear about someone like me.”

“Not strange at all.”

“Really? All the black? The eyeliner? The poetry? It doesn’t comes from someone with endless sunshine in their minds.”

“No, but that person can still exude copious amounts of affection and endearment to those they care about. And love is scientifically proven to reduce stress. Well, the chemical, that is. There is anxiety surrounding obligatory actions and words associated with…” She cleared her throat. He couldn’t catch on just yet. “I’m getting ahead of myself. What I mean is that your love for him is probably doing wonders when many of your other peers are upset that they’re still in school. Senioritis is the _worst_!”

“I thought we agreed to not talk about Caleb’s ability.”

“I know, I know. I apologize. But you have to admit it isn’t a cakewalk to tiptoe around something so special that you two have between each other. I can’t imagine too many people experience that same kind of connection.”

“I guess not. Not really.”

“And I can’t imagine it’s easy for him to so much as walk through the hallways every day more he’s there.”

“It’s really not.”

“I didn’t think so. For what it’s worth, I’m glad there are people like you out there, Adam. I know that should be a given, but… Your passion for knowledge and innovation combined with your unwavering compassion for people regardless of their inner turmoil are truly admirable, and I can promise you that these qualities will get you so far in life.”

“...Thank you, Annabelle. It means a lot that you think so highly of me.”

“Well, of course I do! I don’t hand out these compliments to anyone. And I’m not telling you all this just because you’re my nephew.”

“I know.”

“So you do help him, then? I assume you two hang out often.”

“Yeah. We try to help each other study whenever we can.”

“And that’s all you do?” She offered him a suggestive smirk.

“Well… no, but… God, Annabelle! It just gets awkward explaining that to a relative.”

She forced another laugh. “I’m sorry, I understand. But joking aside, you’re positive you can keep an eye on him?”

His eyebrows furrowed. Not the sign she was looking for. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I just wasn’t sure, that’s all.”

“I don’t think a two-hundred-pound runningback would need me to watch over him in dark alleys anytime soon, though. Not that he'd have a reason to _be_ in any dark alleys-”

“Two-hundred pounds?” 

“Just about.”

“He’s gained quite a bit of muscle since I last saw him, huh?”

“Well, that, and he’s freakishly tall, so… It’s not as much muscle as you’re probably thinking.”

“That’s a fair argument.” She paused to let him laugh. “But I was asking you to look out for him because… Well, I know you didn’t want me to bring up his ability again, but this is pretty important.”

“What?”

“Empaths tend to become a bit… strange around this time of year.”

“Don’t tell me you’re about to propose some werewolf theory about my boyfriend.”

She genuinely chuckled. “Not at all. But the transition from spring to summer seems to have a significant effect on empaths, and their emotions are highly volatile. I’m not suggesting anything ‘dangerous’ about him whatsoever--just that if he becomes a bit moody, or his reactions to everyday events happen to be more… elevated, know that it isn’t your fault, or his, or anyone’s.”

“Is this something new you found out recently, or…?”

“Oh, no. This has been known for decades. I didn’t think to tell you last year because I… wasn’t comfortable with revealing my profession to you at the time.”

“Okay. That makes sense.” Brows furrowed once again. Less of confusion, and more of… anger? “Except that isn’t true.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve looked through many files on empaths. The basics, the finer print, pretty much everything in between. Nowhere did they ever mention anything about the changing seasons. Just that stress from other people can affects empaths year-round.”

“Oh, Adam, this is why I didn’t want to bring any of this up with you. I know you’re trying to catch me in some grand act, but I can promise you, I know what I’m talking about. How would you even be able to access any of that incredibly classified--?” She closed her eyes and gently took a breath. “Samantha Barnes.”

“No, no. Not this again.”

“You were the one who insisted we continue our chat on atypicals, not me.”

“I never said that.”

“Adam, if you can barely remember our conversation coherently, I highly doubt that bringing up years of delicate research on countless sheets of paper is going to do you any favors.”

His eyes darted around the fading sun. He must have been questioning himself. Then he stopped. “No. I remember. What you just said about the seasons was a lie.”

She rolled her eyes for good measure. “Adam, even if I were lying about something so trivial, I see no underlying motive that you could possibly shoehorn in my mouth from here.”

He looked… hurt? Betrayed. “What are you doing to him?”

“What are you talking about, Adam? I haven’t seen Caleb in over a year.”

“You fold your arms when you lie. It’s a pattern I’ve picked up on over the years. I’ve been waiting to call you out on it, and this is that time. Don’t try to deny it, because I see it, and it’s there.”

She uncrossed her arms, resisting the urge to put them back where they were. “Okay, so maybe I’ve seen him walking to school on occasion. So what? It doesn’t mean really seeing him. And I can’t believe that you would try throwing accusations my way when all I wanted to do was check up on you and see how you were doing.”

“And to see how Caleb was doing, too, apparently, since you _microchipped_ him.”

“I _what_? Adam, are you serious?”

He stood from the bench and backed away, clearly trying to stay calm. “I saw it under his skin one night. I didn’t say anything because I thought it would be too personal to ask, and I’d had no idea where it could have come from. But I’ve been updated on what the AM’s headquarters have been ordering AMs all across the country to do--and no, I’m not telling you how--and it involves widespread kidnapping, microchipping, and release the very next day, all the while drugged so that no one remembers their visits. And I didn’t want to believe that it was connected to you, but this just confirmed it.”

Her anger was coming, and briefly, she considered wiping Adam’s memory somehow. “You had better tell me where you’re getting this from, because you are two small steps away from being in serious trouble.”

His face contorted into near-rage. “You can’t threaten me like that anymore. I’m an adult. And if my parents find out about any of this, _you’ll_ be the one in hot water!”

“And how would they find out? I don’t think they would be pleased to know that one of your 'friends' is an avid hacker who could be arrested on the spot at any time for all of the felonies she has committed in her depressing little bedroom alone!”

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about Sam that way. You don’t know what she’s been through.”

“Oh, please. I know everything about every atypical you know. And yes, that includes Caleb.”

“So you were lying to me when you were pretending not to know his weight?”

“Only of omission, and for your information, he weighs exactly one-hundred ninety-three pounds. And if he finds out about the chip, believe me, there is a lot more information where that came from.”

“So you’re threatening my boyfriend now?”

“Such a strong word for such a young boy.”

“Don’t patronize me! I’m not doing this anymore.” He picked up his bike from its position and rolled it to full stance. “You can use those extra vacation days or whatever for something else. And you can forget about me hanging that pendant.”

Her facial muscles didn’t move. Her work here was done. “Remember what I said, Adam. It wasn’t a threat, it was a fact.”

He seemed to calm himself down, refusing to move or open his eyes for a brief moment. When he did, he seemed less tense, which was a new look to her. And then he walked very close until he was so in her face that she could have slapped him right then. “Annabelle?”

“Yes, Adam?”

“If anything happens to Caleb, I will fucking kill you.”


	2. That Golden Space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, just a slight content warning of sexual tension in this one. They're both adults by now in this timeline, but just a heads up in case anyone may feel uncomfortable--I haven't decided yet if these moments are going to frequent the fic or not yet, but feel free to let me know if it's something y'all would be opposed to.

Caleb was on his living room couch, stuffing his face with a mouth-watering slice of pepperoni pizza, while Adam sat across from him in a leather recliner, unable to tear his eyes away. 

What a blessing. To just be sitting here, watching someone so in love with something simple like food. Someone whose face he could never forget. He found himself physically moving his head to hold gaze on Caleb’s somber green eyes.

Caleb’s house was usually so inviting. The entire atmosphere felt warm with the distant hum of togetherness, like unity, like a team. 

Adam had never felt like that with his parents, in his own home, even before what had happened those few summers ago. 

But this time, it was… different. Something--no, everything--felt off, wrong. Like it was too bright and happy, like the walls were waiting to be chipped away like a mask until it all fell out beneath them. 

Every time he saw Caleb made him worry it would be the last time. It didn’t help that he had threatened Annabelle. There were these thoughts constantly snaking around the back end of his mind that she was waiting for the perfect moment to make him eat his words. But she wouldn’t do that, right? She did horrible things, obviously. Unforgivable things. But she still loved him, right? Maybe she had the “kids-will-be-kids” mentality, if he was lucky. Besides, from a logical standpoint, she probably had way too much to be worrying about at the AM’s national headquarters to focus on just one atypical. And his mom would flip her shit. 

He wanted to forgive her, even after everything. When he looked at Annabelle, there was something in her eyes that made him want to cry. He could never tell what it was, but he wanted to reach it. He wanted to find the kinder, more genuine parts of her and hug them, just to hold onto them a bit longer before they began to collect dust and fade away, one with his childhood, like everything else. 

“Adam… What’s wrong?”

Shit. “Nothing! Why do you ask?”

Caleb did that thing where his lips flatlined and his eyebrows lifted in silence. It was unfairly cute, especially with tomato sauce lurking in the corners of his mouth, cheesy grease slathered all over his chin. 

Adam burst into laughter. “God, you’re fucking wonderful, you know that, Caleb?”

Caleb snorted and briefly looked away, wiping the leftovers from his face with his sleeve. “Adam…” But then he turned back to face Adam with a nervous stare. “What’s going on?” 

“There’s nothing going on, Caleb. Just my usual sad-sack-y self.” 

He shook his head. “No, this is different. Come on, did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

Adam broke eye contact and pulled his arms closer into himself. “Sorry.”

Caleb sighed. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” He gestured Adam to the couch with two fingers, then tapped his leg. 

Adam reluctantly forced himself out of the chair and eased his way into his boyfriend’s lap, resting his head on the rock-solid heartbeat underneath it. 

Nothing good would come from him telling Caleb about the chip. Not doing so gave him the worst kind of anxiety--the type laced with guilt, staggering around his stomach like a drunk man and sucking his chest dry of oxygen. But Annabelle had made it clear that him saying a word could (would?) mean trouble. 

When Adam couldn’t tell Caleb something--whether it was because he didn’t want to worry him, or he didn’t have the time to explain it all, or he just wanted to stay in that golden space, that glow flickering between them, voiding the concept of time and any world outside of their shared warmth and understanding, without acknowledging outside distractions--he would find something less serious that made him feel similarly to whatever emotion Caleb had called him out on. Which, yeah, was shitty of him, but he didn’t do it often, and Caleb would thank him later. 

No, he wouldn’t. But Adam had a way of feeling better by lying to himself. 

Caleb began raking his fingers through Adam’s hair. “What’s going on, baby?” he mumbled softly in his ear. 

Adam’s heart lurched at his premeditated reply. “It’s just school stuff. You know how I am about my grades. I just think about how… pointless it all is sometimes, in the grand scheme of things. Like, I’ve spent so much time working my ass off to get into Yale, and now I’m in, and it only took a three-point-nine. But it’s like… sometimes I just wonder how much I missed, putting all of that time and energy into something that I don’t even need to be in Yale for. I don’t know. It’s not like there was anything else for me to do back in high school, but… still.” 

“Anything else?” Caleb planted a soft kiss on Adam’s forehead and massaged one of his shoulders. How could one person be so amazing? 

“What do you mean?”

“Well, like… I can get behind the depression part of what you’re feeling, but there’s a lot of anxiety there, too.”

“Someone’s been paying attention in psych,” said Adam, pretending for just a second that Caleb was just great at reading body language.

Caleb chuckled. “I’m serious. And yeah. Doctor Bright’s been really helpful with that stuff, too. I think I’m getting better at it than I’d ever thought I’d be… Which is why I know something’s up.”

“Caaaaleb,” he whined, giggling into Caleb’s shirt. “It’s nothing. I told you, grade shit. I’m still not finished with the midterm project.”

“Didn’t you say that wasn’t due for another month?”

“I’m still thinking about it,” Adam mumbled under his breath to sound more genuine. God, he hated doing this to him. 

“Oh my god, Adam. You need to take a serious break. From everything.” He nuzzled his head against Adam’s, brushing his lips against his jawline. “...Except me.” 

Adam’s fingers quivered as he froze, realizing just how strong Caleb was again. How capable he was of holding Adam to the couch, putting the weight of his desires on and around him until the only thing left was this raw passion that Adam could barely describe with words. The outside world suddenly meant nothing. “I… would like that. A lot.”

Caleb grinned against Adam’s temple, reaching his arms beneath his shirt. “Me too.” 

Adam did the same with Caleb, only for his hand to run into something bumpy under the runningback's skin.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha, also, don't get comfortable. This is probably the only "happy" chapter you'll be coming across in this fic. I apologize. Kind of.


	3. Ash and Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \-- CW for this chapter for depictions of intense psychological distress --

Studying was effortless when Adam was able to zone out and let the words coat him like water. All kinds of words. Flashcards, textbooks, articles. They were all just words that constructed sentences, sentences constructing pieces, sonnets, novels. He smothered himself in words until nothing else made sense. That’s how he got through high school, so doing the same thing now was beyond easy. The only difference was that time seemed to speed up. Hours, days, the weeks. They all seemed to pass by indefinitely, like the concept of another year was so close but so far away.

It didn’t matter to him. Driving half an hour to and from Yale was the real challenge--in the freezing rain, no less.

On the other hand, when Adam had something on his mind, it nearly killed him to stare at the same blue ink on those cards, and his eyes strained from staring at the screen. Nothing felt right, like he was wearing his clothes sideways or something (he didn’t bother to ask himself how that made any sense at all).

Caleb. God, _Caleb_. His love. He didn’t care that it sounded ridiculous. It felt right.

In the cold wind, between the dark alleyways of Cheshire, Connecticut, through the valleys of people and the sea of thick darkness that devoured him when he was alone had been worth it all these years. Sure, it wasn’t healthy to rely on someone for happiness, and Adam knew this, but when happiness was out of reach and felt like it would never find him again, he would find Caleb. In his mind, between the need to survive and the desire to live was this golden glow, this person who seemed to bridge the two. Adam’s connection from points A to B.

And Annabelle had the power to break him.

He wanted to tell Caleb how much he meant to him at this point, how it felt like he couldn’t breathe properly without him, how some days Adam would only get out of bed in the morning by holding onto the knowledge that Caleb would want him to.

His future was important, sure, and he had no idea where Caleb planned to go or live after his own college stay, but Caleb was in his future. What else could be? What else was left for him?

He shook his head and mumbled, “Fuck off” at himself. He couldn’t think like that. He couldn’t rely on Caleb to feel complete.

...Especially if something happened to him, and Adam was left alone again.

No, damn it. No. He was not doing this to himself. He was an adult now. Independent. Doing his own thing.

He texted Caleb before he could change his mind. _“Hey, been thinking of you lately. How’s it going?”_

He turned his phone off. Then on again. Then off. Of course he wouldn’t answer right away. He was busy.

And so was Adam. Adam was busy. He was the busiest guy he knew. He didn’t need anyone! What the hell was he-?

 _“By the way, I checked, and no, ‘cupcakery’ is not a word, lmao,”_ he added.

God, Caleb. _Caleb_. Wait, had he been breathing this fast the entire time? How hadn’t he noticed?

Blurry vision, lightheaded. What was...?

Oh. Peachy.

Thank God he was alone. He hated seeing his mother worry. Or maybe he hated seeing his father not worry.

 _‘Many people have them. I know I did a lot in school. He’ll get over it,’_ his dad’s words echoed in his mind.

How could he be a fucking neurosurgeon and still not care?

 _“Also, Idw bother you, but I could really use a phone call right now, lol.”_ Stupid, stupid! Why did he send that?

He tried breathing techniques his therapist had taught him. They worked most of the time when he _wasn’t_ like this. Damn it, damn it, fuck!

He was doing so well. Life wasn’t bad. Caleb would be okay.

Unless he wasn’t. Oh god. He could be dead. He could be dead _right now_ , and Adam wouldn’t know. The sunshine would be gone. The world would be layered in another pile of ash and smoke. Fuck. Fuck!

He let himself cry out. His head throbbed. _Please, Caleb, please don’t be dead--!_

The chorus of “Grade 8” by Ed Sheeran blared from his phone. He reached for it lightning-fast and gripped it with his sweaty palms. “Caleb?” he said a little too urgently.

“Hey, just finished dinner. Is everything okay?”

“YeahI’mfinewhy?”

“Adam?”

“YeahwhatI’mgoodhow’sitgoingyouokaywhat’dyouhave?”

“Adam, slow down. I can’t understand you.”

“I’msorry.” He tried to get a grip on himself. Fuck, why did he send that? The last thing Caleb needed was his needy boyfriend freaking out. “I’m--sorryCaleb.”

“Baby, calm down. I’m here. What’s going on?”

Adam let the tears fall. Even like this, he knew he couldn’t tell the truth. “Idon’t… I don’t know. I’m sorry, I just…”

“You don’t have to be sorry. Just tell me what’s wrong. I’m here.”

“Caleb, you know I love you, right?”

“Yeah? Of course I know that. I love you, too. Please answer me. Are you okay?”

“Yeah! Yes. I’m fine. I just… wanted to hear your voice, that’s all.”

“Are you being honest? Because it sounds like you’re having an attack.”

“Oh, what, those old things? Come on, I’ve grown out of that.”

“You know that’s not how that works.”

“I know.” He knew Caleb wouldn’t stop worrying unless he gave some kind of answer, so he decided to make it more immediate. “My thoughts kind of spiraled out of control again. I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.”

“I’m s… Fuck.”

“Adam. Breathe with me.”

And he did. He still felt peaky, but the worst part was over. Half a minute passed before Adam said, “Thank you… I have no idea why that happened, but thank you.”

“They can happen for no reason, too.”

“Oh, so you’re on the anxiety section of the DSM, now.” Lame attempt at a joke.

Caleb laughed softly, sadness clear in his voice. “You could have called me first.”

“I wasn’t sure if you had plans.”

“Adam, if it’s an emergency, I want you to call me.”

“Would you stop using your therapy voice and talk to me like Caleb?” he snapped.

“...What?”

“I’m sorry, I just… It freaks me out when you sound professional like that. You feel… distant.”

“I’m not meaning to. I fucking care about you, you nerd. Okay?”

Adam couldn’t help but smile, even though he knew Caleb was forcing it for his sake. “Better.”

“Look, tomorrow’s the weekend. I just finished this huge exam, and I miss you. Do you want to go out? It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just, like, I don’t know, a coffee place? Or if you want dinner, that’s fine, too-!”

“Caleb, you don’t have to take me on a date just because I’m on-edge about school.”

“I think you’re missing the point. I _want_ to.”

“...What time?”

 

~~~

 

“That’s what I’m saying. Something bad’s happening, guys. To everyone. Well, okay, not everyone, but atypicals, definitely,” Rose spat nervously through the phone.

“You don’t think they-?”

“No. Absolutely not,” Joan said, cutting Sam off mid-question. “That operation had been cancelled years prior to even me meeting Ellie, and Agent Green would sooner sell his kidneys on the black market than take part in anything of that nature again.”

“What operation, Doctor Bright?”

“It’s nothing, Rose.”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to keep anything from me anymore.”

“It isn’t about keeping things, Rose. It’s just difficult to explain, and I’ve ruled it out already. Is Emily with you?”

“Uh… Yeah, she’s alright, if that’s what you’re really asking.” Rose’s voice seemed to move away from the speaker with a muffled cough. “Just playing Dark Souls.”

“‘Dark Souls’? Is that a metaphor I should be familiar with?”

Sam raised a finger from her lifted arm, as if waiting to be called on. When Joan met her gaze, Sam said, “It’s a... video game. Mark plays it all the time.”

“Ah,” was all that Joan could manage before clearing her throat and saying, “Thank you for informing us of all of this, Rose. I know it couldn’t have been easy discovering something like that for yourself. And I know you may be tempted to go seeking out-!”

“No, no, we’re not doing anything like that,” said Rose.

“Shit! Fifth fucking time in a row!” Emily barked in the background.

“Oh? Really?” asked Joan.

“This is… Well, this might sound really shitty, but… we’re in college, still. There’s not a lot of time to be focusing on these wild government conspiracies, even if they are true. We have too much to worry about already.”

“...Of course. I’ll call you sometime in a few days to check in with you, if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, sure! Thanks for listening, Doctor Bright.”

“It’s what I do.”

“Bye!” And with that, Rose had hung up.

Joan bit her lip while Sam’s brows furrowed beyond simple confusion. “That didn’t… sound like her at all, Joan. Wouldn’t she normally be one of the first to play the hero?”

“No, it didn’t. She must be more apprehensive about this than us. Maybe the lack of action on her part is for the best, though. There isn’t much they can do.”

“Or us! And what about Agent Green? Did he know about Gutterball? And why did you lie to her about it being cancelled? I mean, god, she’s  _so_ young, and what if-?”

“Sam, I want you to take some deep breaths. We have a lot of empty blanks that won’t be properly filled with assumptions. Causing panic in the atypical community is the last thing we need. It’s better they remain ignorant for now. Operation Gutterball is but one possibility out of many, and it’s quite possibly one of if not the most terrifying of them all, and us running our minds rampant about worst-case scenarios will do nothing.”

“Does Agent Green know? About this?”

“Sam, you’re focusing on just one-!”

“I know, I know, I just… I can’t-!” And just like that, Samantha Barnes had hurled herself into the vortex of time once again, her very weight of matter and shadow folded into itself.

Patiently waiting for her return, Joan noticed a disk case labeled with the same game Emily had presumably been playing earlier. _“Dark Souls.”_ She picked it up and examined the cover, the summary, and the release date.

She smiled weakly to herself when she saw it has debuted in 2011. Of course Mark had this game. He’d probably been waiting for its release soon before he was kidnapped.

If Operation Gutterball was truly going into effect, she knew who was really behind it, and it wouldn’t be easy to reach much less sway such a busy woman, what with her new tasks at HQ. 

Neither Rose nor Emily would be a threat to Wadsworth if they didn't know so much as her name.


End file.
